Page 23 of Max Bannon

The moment I was alone, every single thing I’d been trying to hold back pushed forward like a wave.

I fell for him.

And I knew better.

I knew what it looked like when someone had walls they didn’t want you to climb. I knew what it felt like to be the only one holding the string, pretending it was a connection when it was just me, tied up and waiting.

I shouldn’t have let myself hope. Not after everything I’ve already survived. Just another thing to mess with my mind.STOP IT TESSA!

But Max had this way of looking at me like I was something new. Like he saw the chaos and didn’t flinch. Like I wasn’t broken.

And maybe that’s what made me fall.

Because for the first time in years, I didn’t feel alone.

Until now.

I stood and walked to the window. He walked slowly to his truck. Like he didn’t want to leave, still holding that wrench. When he sat behind the wheel, I saw him looking around.

Was he watching me too?

Did he feel this aching silence?

Or was he relieved?

I pressed my palm to the glass and whispered, “You could’ve stopped me.”

But he didn’t.

So I turned away.

And this time, I didn’t look back.

13

Max

It had been ten days.

Ten long, quiet, echoing days since she moved into her cabin.

I saw her around. Once on the road into town—she waved. Tight smile, hand barely lifted off the steering wheel. Another time at the grocery store, in the produce section, holding a head of lettuce like she was debating whether it was worth the effort.

I nodded. She nodded.

We didn’t speak.

It was hell.

I kept telling myself I did the right thing. That space was good. Smart. Safe.

But every night when the house settled into silence, I swore I could hear her laugh echo in the kitchen. I caught myself cooking too much—still making extra coffee in the morning like she was going to wander in wearing one of my shirts, asking if we were out of honey. I thought she must have gotten my shirts from the dryer. I loved her wearing my shirts.

And every time shedidn’t,it was like losing her all over again.

Frasier didn’t say much. Just gave me a look once when I tried to act like everything was fine. The kind of look that saidyou’re a damn fool, but I’ll let you figure that out yourself.

I hated how right he was.

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